Danger within the shadows

Often, when I am looking at the work of other photographers, certain images just catch my attention and cause me to pause and wonder. Such images stick in my mind and come flooding to the surface when certain scenes in front of me also cause me to pause and wonder. Such was the case when I was recently wandering along a beach and saw a small sailboat sitting on the distant horizon against the featureless dark sky of an approaching storm. As I watched the boat I began to wonder about the smallness of things in the hugeness of the world and, much like the small sailboat exposed to an approaching storm, I wondered about the dangers that surround us in our journey through life. The scene before me reminded me of one of the many images Harry Callahan created of his wife, Eleanor.

When I first saw this image I felt myself wondering what dangers might be lurking within the shadows, but the image of the distant person caused me to wonder less about the dangers that might exist. For me, this was symbolic of life. As much as we try to be aware of dangers that might surround us, we often put those fears to one side if something within that dangerous place attracts our attention. Often, the dangers grab us as we proceed and the suppressed fears become real.